My Latest Recipe Contest Entry

I was excited to be contacted by JSL Foods a couple of months ago to ask if I wanted to participate in a noodle recipe blog contest they were hosting. Um, yes, please! I love recipe contests (evidence here, here, and here, for starters) and hadn’t entered one in a while. It was time to get back to it, and what better challenge than a cold noodle salad? (That was the category I chose.)

JSL Foods sent me a sample of their Fortune Yaki-Soba Japanese Style Stir Fry Noodles and I got to work developing a plan for the recipe. (You can find these products at your local Target store.)

I was immediately drawn to the idea of incorporating Southern flavors into this dish. After all, ingredients like edamame and sweet and sour chicken are common among Asian dishes. Why not mix things up a bit and add in ingredients like boiled peanuts and barbecue chicken instead? And while we’re at it, why not some collard greens rather than, say, bok choy? The recipe was forming. And I got to cooking.

The result? I am VERY happy with these noodles, y’all. They can be enjoyed hot or cold (for the contest, of course, I served them cold) and Kevin and I will certainly be enjoying this dish again.

Here’s the recipe:

Southern Summertime Soba Bowl

Ingredients 

For Noodles:

• 2/3 package of Fortune Yaki-Soba Japanese Style Stir Fry Noodles – two of the three packets of enclosed noodles, but no seasoning (JSL Food Products – can be purchased at Target)
• 1 cup chopped cooked chicken (I used rotisserie chicken)
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce (I used Stubb’s Original BBQ Sauce)
• 1 14.5-ounce can seasoned collard greens (I used Margaret Holmes’ Heat and Serve)
• 1/4 Vidalia onion, chopped roughly

For Sauce:

• 1 ½ ounces sesame oil
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• Juice from 1 lime
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup carrot, grated

For Toppings:

• Boiled peanuts, removed from shells
• Cucumber, chopped
• Lime wedge

Directions:

• Microwave the packets of noodles for 1 minute to loosen noodles. Set aside.
• Toss chopped chicken with barbecue sauce. Set aside.
• Empty collard greens (including juice) into a wok over high heat on the stove.
• Add onions to the wok and stir to combine, cooking for 2-3 minutes.
• Add noodles and chicken to wok, stirring to heat thoroughly and combine.
• After cooking for about 6-8 minutes, turn off heat and leave noodles on the stove.
• In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and lime juice.
• Then mix in brown sugar, minced garlic, red pepper flakes and grated carrot, whisking until brown sugar is completely dissolved.
• Pour sauce over noodle mixture and stir to combine completely.
• Refrigerate noodles for at least one hour to chill completely.
• Top with boiled peanuts and chopped cucumber before serving.